Tar Heels’ late surge repels Elon’s upset bid

By Adam Smith / Times-News

Published: Wednesday, April 10, 2013 at 12:46 AM.

That bomb over the left-field fence brought the Tar Heels back to the top of their order. And after a pair of walks and a run-scoring single by Colin Moran, freshman sensation Skye Bolt blasted a two-run homer to straightaway center field.

“You’ve got to play nine innings and we’ve been pretty good at that,” said North Carolina coach Mike Fox, who called Roberts’ homer that ignited his team’s five-run eighth “a big swing of the bat.”

Moran and Bolt — along with Cody Stubbs, the run-producers in the heart of the Tar Heels’ lineup — finished with three hits and three RBI. North Carolina won its 12th consecutive road game.

ELON — With a one-run lead on the scoreboard and Kyle Webb working capably on the mound, Elon University had carved out a favorable position against North Carolina through five innings.

And then …

“The top of their lineup is just so volatile,” Elon first baseman Ryan Kinsella said. “They know how to put away a game when they have the opportunity.”

The Tar Heels did so with authority, erupting for all except one of their runs during the final four innings in what became a 15-3 baseball breakaway Tuesday night at Latham Park.

Bases-loaded singles from Michael Russell and Mike Zolk were part of a four-run sixth inning that vaulted North Carolina from trailing 2-1 to leading 5-2.

Later, the Tar Heels (30-2), ranked No. 1 nationally in most polls, piled on nine runs during the last two innings, sending portions of the fans, who covered the small hillside down the left-field line and who pressed against the fence on the right-field side of the park, exiting before the final out.

Elon trailed 6-3 and was an out away from ending the top of the eighth when North Carolina catcher Matt Roberts, the former Graham High School standout, belted the second home run of his college career.

That bomb over the left-field fence brought the Tar Heels back to the top of their order. And after a pair of walks and a run-scoring single by Colin Moran, freshman sensation Skye Bolt blasted a two-run homer to straightaway center field.

“You’ve got to play nine innings and we’ve been pretty good at that,” said North Carolina coach Mike Fox, who called Roberts’ homer that ignited his team’s five-run eighth “a big swing of the bat.”

Moran and Bolt — along with Cody Stubbs, the run-producers in the heart of the Tar Heels’ lineup — finished with three hits and three RBI. North Carolina won its 12th consecutive road game.

Kinsella, he of the 12 RBI last week, lifted his 12th home run of the season, and third in four games, on an opposite-field shot to left field in the bottom of the sixth.

But for the Phoenix, this didn’t become another meaningful result against an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent, such as its defeats of North Carolina State and Virginia Tech here last month.

“You get exposed when you play a team like that,” Elon coach Mike Kennedy said, “that’s that good and of that quality. You can’t hide from them.”

The right-handed Webb (3-1), who missed his normal Saturday spot in the weekend rotation due to a family emergency involving the hospitalization of his father, took his first loss of the season.

Webb allowed a run and three hits through five innings. He left with one out in the top of the sixth inning and ultimately was charged with five runs on seven hits and two walks.

North Carolina roughed up Elon relievers John Antonelli and Brandon Kacer, who gave up more hits (10) and runs (10) than the outs they combined to record (eight).

Kennedy said setup man Andrew MacDonald wasn’t available for Elon on Tuesday night due to last week’s heavy workload. Tyler Manez was out of the mix, too, after filling in as a spot-starter for Webb during the weekend.

“That puts us in a tough spot, especially with all the lefties” in the Tar Heels’ lineup, Kennedy said. “Some of the guys that we’ve been able to use in a shorter role just weren’t available.

“I thought it was real simple. They just exposed some weaknesses of ours in the bullpen. We’ve had that, and against that caliber of team, that’s going to happen.”